Combined propelling and breathing device for skin divers



April 14, 1964 P. A. SCHULTZ 3,128,739

COMBINED PROPELLING AND BREATHING DEVICE FOR SKIN DIVERS Filed NOV. 30, 1961 //Vl/E/V7'0R PAUL A. SCHUL TZ 5y Tiqlm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,128,739 COMBINED PROPELLING AND BREATHING DEVI CE FOR SKIN DIVERS Paul A. Schultz, 2250 Sequel Drive, Santa Cruz, Calif. Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,906 6 Claims. (Cl. 115-6.!)

This invention relates to underwater swimming aids for enabling skin divers and the like to maneuver under water for sustained periods, and is particularly directed to an air inhalation or aqualung" device in which the potential energy of the stored air is utilized to great advantage in propelling the swimmer While still serving its basic intended function of enabling the swimmer to breathe during submersion.

Air storage inhalation devices or aqualungs have long been employed to enable skin divers or other underwater swimmers to breathe while submerged. The air supply, of course, is consumed at a rather rapid rate when the diver exerts himself such as during distance swimming. A considerable amount of potential energy is represented by the compressed air stored in the tanks of the aqualung and the portion of this energy that is expended when the air is rapidly consumed during exertive swimming greatly exceeds the actual amount of propulsion energy that can be developed in swimming. Hence the over-all underwater swimming procedure where an aqualung is employed as a source of air merely for breathing is rather inefficient. The rapid rate of stored air consumption during periods of substantial exertion on the part of the swimmer in moving about underwater is seriously limiting upon the length of time he may remain submerged, and therefore limits his range.

It will be appreciated that advantages are to be gained where the potential energy of the stored air in an aqualung or equivalent device may be utilized to facilitate eificient propulsion of the diver Without substantial exertion as well as breathing under Water. More specifically, where the propulsion may be produced without exertive effort on the part of the diver, the rate at which the stored air is consumed by breathing is greatly reduced. Therefore, if the efiiciency with which the potential energy of the stored air can be utilized in effecting propulsion greatly exceeds that with which the energy of the air is expended by breathing in supporting propulsion by normal swimming, the length of time the stored air will sustain underwater breathing, as well as the range of the diver, are considerably increased.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an underwater swimming aid of the aqualung type wherein a portion of the potential energy of the stored air may be expended in driving a propelling means prior to introduction of the air to the diver for breathing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described wherein the propelling means may be readily selectively actuated by the diver, the device functioning in the normal manner of a conventional aqualung during periods the propelling means is unactuated.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described wherein the propelling means is a propeller driven by an air motor energized by the stored compressed air.

It is a further object of the invention to provide underwater swimming aids of the class described whereby a divers range underwater is considerably extended.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It

is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an underwater swimming aid in accordance with the present invention. U FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the device of FIG- FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the propelling means of this embodiment.

Considering now the invention in some detail and referring to the illustrated forms thereof in the drawing, there will be seen to be provided, as best shown in FIG- URE 1, air storage means 11 which may comprise a pair of compressed air tanks or cylinders 12, 13. These tanks are secured together in juxtaposition as by means of connective brackets 14. The upper ends of the tanks are communicably connected by a cross pipe 16, the center of which is provided with a T-fitting 17. A first stage valve regulator 18 is connected to one leg of fitting 17 to control the passage of air conveyed from tanks 12, 13 through pipe 16 to a second leg of the fitting. This second leg is coupled to a flexible hose 19 which is in turn connected to a second stage valve regulator 21 to which a conventional mouthpiece 22 is connected.

The arrangement specifically described above is standard in conventional underwater air inhalation devices or aqualungs which enable a skin diver or the like to breathe fresh air for sustained periods of submersion. The regulators 18, 21 appropriately control the passage of air from tanks 12, 13 to the mouthpiece 22 such that with the mouthpiece in place the divers breathing demands are controllably satisfied. As pointed out hereinbefore, the air is consumed or breathed at an accelerated rate during distance swimming or other periods of increased exertion by the diver. Moreover, the amount of propulsion energy that the diver can develop by swimming is considerably less than the potential energy of the air consumed at the increased breathing rate. The divers range underwater with a conventional aqualung is accordingly limited by the relative inefliciency of the overall underwater swimming and breathing procedure.

These difliculties are overcome by the provision of a propelling means 23 which in accordance with the present invention is efiiciently driven by a portion of the potential energy of the stored air prior to the time the air is supplied to the mouthpiece for breathing. More specifically, the connection of the air hose 19 to fitting 17 is bifurcated to facilitate communicable connection of the outlet of the latter to a pipe 24 as well as to the hose. The pipe 24 extends longitudinally intermediate the tanks 12, 13 to the propelling means 23 to supply compressed air thereto. Subsequent to utilization of a portion of the potential energy of the air in driving the propelling means, the air is exhausted therefrom through a flexible outlet hose 26 communicably connected thereto. This hose includes an expandable bladder section 27 in its length and is in turn communicably connected to a second inlet fitting of the second stage valve regulator 21 for controlling the flow of air to mouthpiece 22. It will be appreciated that with the foregoing arrangement a portion of the potential energy of the stored air is expended in passing through and driving the propelling means 23. Subsequent to driving the propelling means, the air flows through outlet hose 26 and regulator 21 to the mouthpiece 22 for breathing. During the divers exhalation periods, the air is stored in bladder section 27 to be thereat available for supply to the mouthpiece during periods of inhalation. Where the amount of air provided to the mouthpiece from the outlet hose 26 is insuflicient for the divers breathing requirements, additional air is available through the regulator upon demand in the conventional manner via air hose 19.

Considering now the propelling means 23 in greater detail as to one form thereof as depicted in FIGURES 1 to 3, such means preferably includes an open-ended cylindrical casing 28 secured to brackets 14 in parallel relation to the tanks 12, 13. An air motor or turbine 29 of conventional design is provided with its housing coaxially mounted within the upper end of casing 28 as by means of a spider 31. The drive shaft of the motor depends axially from its housing and a propeller 32 is. secured transversely to the end of the shaft. The outlet hose 26 is in the present instance directly communicably connected to the exhaust port 33 of the motor. The inlet pipe 24, however, instead of being directly connected to the intake port of the motor, is preferably coupled thereto through selective switch valve means 34. The latter means advantageously facilitates the selective switching of the motor on and off by the diver in an expeditious manner whereby propulsion is only produced upon demand.

To the foregoing ends, the switch valve means preferably includes a conventional plunger valve 36, the housing of which is secured to the upper end of the housing of motor 29, and which communicably connects pipe 24 to the intake port of the motor. Communication through valve 36 may be controlled by operation of its actuating plunger 37 in the usual manner. More particularly, the plunger is normally retained in an extended position, as depicted in FIGURE 3, in which the valve is closed and therefore air is prevented from the motor to drive same. When the plunger is depressed to a retracted position the valve is open and air hence flows into and drives the motor. In order that the plunger may be readily manipulated by the diver, a suitable actuating linkage is provided. Such linkage preferably comprises a fork yoke 38 which straddles the housing of motor 29. The yoke is pivotally connected in its midlength region to the motor housing as indicated at 39. A lever arm 41 is pivotally secured between the ends of the parallel spaced side legs of the yoke to extend longitudinally therefrom towards the upper end of the housing of valve 36 whereat the arm is secured to a pivot 42. Thus upon pivoting of the distal end of yoke 38 relative to lever arm 41 upward, the arm is pivoted about pivot 42 inward towards the valve housing to depress plunger 37 and open the valve. A pull cord 43 secured to said distal end of the yoke and extending into proximity with the hands of the diver facilitates his ready manipulation of the bracket in the foregoing manner.

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater swimming aid comprising a comflowing into pressed air source, to said source, an inhalation device for introducing air to a user for breathing, a second stage valve regulator having an outlet connected to said inhalation device and a pair of inlets, one of said inlets connected in receiving relation to said first stage regulator, an air motor secured to said source and having an intake port coupled in receiving relation to said first stage regulator and an exhaust port, a propeller secured to the drive shaft of said motor, and means coupling said exhaust port of said motor to the second inlet of said second stage regulator.

2. An underwater swimming aid according to claim 1, further defined by said means coupling said exhaust port of said motor to the second inlet of said second stage regulator comprising an air line having an expandable bladder section therein.

3. An underwater swimming aid according to claim 1, further defined by a plunger actuated valve communicably connected between said first stage regulator and said intake port of said air motor, said valve including an actuating plunger having a resiliently retained extended position in which the valve is closed and a retracted position in which the valve is open, a lever arm pivotally secured at one end to said plunger actuated valve and engageable in its midlength region with said plunger, a fork yoke pivotally connected at one end to the free end of said lever arm and mounted for pivotal movement in its midlength region, and a draw cord secured to the distal end of said yoke relative to said lever arm.

4. An underwater swimming aid comprising a com pressed air source, an inhalation device for introducing air to a user for breathing, an air motor secured to said source, a first air inhalation path coupling said inhalation device to said source, and a second air inhalation path coupling said inhalation device to said source through said air motor.

5. An underwater swimming aid according to claim 4, further defined by a pressure regulator having an outlet connected to said inhalation device and a pair of inlets respectively communicably connected in receiving re lation to said first and second paths.

6. An underwater swimming aid according to claim 4, further defined by said second inhalation path including an expandable bladder section communicably connected between said motor and said inhalation device.

Davis Andresen Aug. 7, 1962 Dec. 4, 1962 a first stage valve regulator connected 

4. AN UNDERWATER SWIMMING AID COMPRISING A COMPRESSED AIR SOURCE, AN INHALATION DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING AIR TO A USER FOR BREATHING, AN AIR MOTOR SECURED TO SAID SOURCE, A FIRST AIR INHALATION PATH COUPLING SAID INHALATION DEVICE TO SAID SOURCE, AND A SECOND AIR INHALATION PATH COUPLING SAID INHALATION DEVICE TO SAID SOURCE THROUGH SAID AIR MOTOR. 